This is my first book by McLain, which must be changed asap, because I love historical fiction and she writes it well. The premise of this novel about the woman in Hemingway's life, really got my attention and I found the author's language really beautiful and yet easy to follow. Definitely recommended for fans of this genre and readers interested in the time of Hemingway's heyday.

The author of The Paris Wife and Circling the Sun is back, delving once again into a strong woman engulfed in a relationship with America's iconic writer, Ernest Hemingway. This time she focuses on Martha Gelhorn, a young woman from St. Louis, a travel addict and aspiring writer. Her elite circle pulls her into contact with a variety of famous people, such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Lillian Hellman, and yes, the great Hemingway. This book focuses solely on the years of their relationship: their meeting in Key West, the affair begun in the midst of the Spanish Civil War, a life in Cuba, their struggles with his literary success and her literary frustrations, and the time apart as Martha pursues her own career as a war correspondent. This book is aptly named, as their love for one another shines through, but it is apparent that neither are great candidates for marital bliss. As always, the book is well-written, well-researched, and has well-developed characters. However, my huuuuge complaint is that McLain has done to Martha Gelhorn exactly what the press did to her decades ago; she minimizes Gelhorn's own career (read the Author's Note at the end - Gelhorn is an icon in the journalistic world, one of the all-time great war reporters this country has ever known, and she did it by breaking every gender stereotype) and puts Gelhorn's life into context only as a wife to Ernest. Aargh...I can hear Marty Gelhorn turning over in her grave. Gelhorn is a fabulous choice for a novel, but I wish she had used her as she did Beryl Markham in Circling the Sun, as an incredible portrait of what a woman must do to survive in a man's world, the resilience and grit it takes to never give up, and the incredible courage it requires to turn one's back on marriage and motherhood and pursue one's career. Ah, that's where the story of Martha Gelhorn belongs and McLain misses it, at least she did for me.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I read and enjoyed "The Paris Wife" so when I saw the author had another book, I jumped in. The writing is good, but I didn't find the story or characters as engaging. In fact, I didn't like them much at all. The story spans almost 10 years - between 1936 and 1944 - and ping pongs across the globe from the US to Spain to Cuba and Europe during WW2, laying out the relationship between Hemingway and his 3rd wife, Marty Gelhorn.

I think it's good historical fiction and probably accurately portrays the relationship between Hemingway and Gelhorn. It just didn't suck me in the way "The Paris Wife" did.

An autobiographical novel of author and journalist Martha Gellhorn, the third wife of Ernest Hemingway. A little slow paced, but well worth the read. Although the majority of the book is about Martha's relationship with Ernest, I would not call it a "romance". It's actually more about a woman finding and proving herself then anything else.

In the beginning, I thought Martha was a little foolish for falling for Ernest, not because I knew that they eventually divorced, but because Ernest didn't seem hugely likable, even in the beginning, he seemed self absorbed and fickle. I was worried the book would be too romancy, and not do justice to an amazing woman in her own right, but that was not the case. It's really about how Martha slowly came to the realization that she had to stand on her own to get the respect and recognition as a writer that she deserved, and how needy Ernest just couldn't deal with that. I loved the second half of the book, watching Martha truly become the strong and independent woman she always was deep down and go onto have an incredible career, rather than be held back by a selfish man.

Advanced review copy from publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

I received this book courtesy of Netgalley and its publisher, Ballantine Books. I’m a fan of Paula McLain and have read her previous books. This one doesn’t disappoint. I would actually score it 4.5/5.0.

The book is written from the perspective of Martha Gellhorn Hemingway. It is based on real people, specifically, Martha “Marty” Gellhorn and Ernest Hemingway. The story is about Marty’s life. Primarily, her career and relationship with Ernest Hemingway. I enjoyed the dynamics between Marty and Ernest and his family. The book carries through the demise of Marty and Ernest’s relationship as well as the challenges a woman encounters attempting to balance a career and marriage. The setting for their romance is in Key West and Cuba.

Marty is known as one of few women who corresponded during war times. Marty’s journalism career during the Spanish civil war with Franco and Germany’s aggression in World War II was fascinating. But her travels were not limited to just Europe. She travelled China, Cuba, Finland, and much more. The reader gains a different view of war. For example, this book provides a different perspective of Russia invading Finland during the “Winter War.” With Marty’s first-hand view, the reader gets a view of Finnish people using the winter to their advantage against a major aggressor.

Marty also authored several books. “Love and Ruin” shares insight into the life of an author writing a book (both Marty and Ernest). The ups and downs of a book with negative critiques (Marty) while a partner experiences huge success (Ernest’s “For Whom the Bell Tolls”) is intriguing. I appreciated understanding how an author may work: “Ernest liked to read the Bible when he looked for titles—that or crumbling tomes of old poetry”. Also, how life travels and experiences may influence the writing of a book through inspiration or character development. As a reader, you obtain a first-hand view of the trials and tribulations of being a female journalist/author during these times.

The reader learns about Ernest Hemingway through the eyes of a lover who was also an author. Marty stated Ernest was “weighing himself each morning, and then recording the number on the wall above the scale in pencil. All of this so that he could go deeply inside his book.” The reader learns about Hemingway’s way of writing. Experiencing world travels through Marty’s eyes was enlightening.

I highly recommend “Love and Ruin” to anyone. It is sure to please.

I love this novel, it is Paula McClain's best yet. I knew who Martha Gellhorn was, but this is so fascinating and well written. I highly recommend this to everyone!

Martha, an aspiring journalist and writer, runs into Hemingway when she is on vacation in Key West. They quickly develop a friendship, with Hemingway taking interest in her career. When the Spanish Civil War erupts, both writers travel separately to Madrid separately. Reunited at the "press" hotel, the two find themselves irresistibly drawn to one another. Besotted, Hemingway begins the process of divorcing his current wife, and sets up a home with Martha in Cuba.

In the beginning of the book, the author kept using the past tense. It made the book really hard to get into. However, once the author switched to present tense, I found myself getting into the story and the characters. It was fascinating to read about an adventurous, courageous and ground breaking woman. I found myself googling Martha after I finished the book, I just wanted to know every detail about her. If you find yourself stuck after the first few chapters, kept pushing along, the book really picks up speed. Overall, well worth reading.

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley...

I am not a big historical fiction reader. I tend to shy away from stories told in the 1800's and early 1900's. But Hemingway is an enticing subject. One of America's greatest writers, a novel about his love's and life. Yet, it wasn't truly about Hemingway. He played a supporting role in Martha Gellhorn's story. And after completing this novel, I know he would have hating being considered second.

Martha Gellhorn deserved her own tale, even if it is a fictional account. Marty was a lady who ran to the front lines of war during a time women were discouraged from such acts. She was a journalist who got the short end of the stick because she was born with reproductive organs. But did Martha let any societal standards dictate or existence? Hell no! Martha was a woman who slept with married men's husbands. Not that having an affair is something to revere, but it just goes to show the type of woman Martha was. A woman who cared more about her work than her reputation. She was happy to settle, but her idea of settling was anything but typical for the time. And that is what caught Hemingway's eye and got her recognized as one of the best War reporters of the 30's.

Another great aspect of the story was the historical information. While I am educated and have taken history, I admittedly am rather daft on the subject matter. The book presented the historical happenings in an interesting manner. I felt informed about world matters that I had little inclination on. I've learned of dictators that I had no idea were an issue in countries that I wasn't aware were involved in the world wars. But the moral of this paragraph, I didn't hate learning about the world events that occurred in the late 30's. It was interesting and enlightening verses a lesson.

Now the thing I appreciated most with McLain's story, she didn't focus on romance greatly. Hemingway and Gellhorn are certainly mentioned and their love mapped. But it wasn't the whole point of Love and Ruin. Which I think is important to Gellhorn's history. I feel as if McLain wrote a story even Marty herself would find enjoyable and focused on the areas she would prefer.

Am I historical fiction reader? No.

Has this story opened my eyes to a new genre I commonly avoid? Definitely.

I loved Paula McClain's "The Paris Wife", and "Circling the Sun"; Love and Ruin is even better! McClain does an amazing job of bringing strong women like Martha "Marty" Gellhorn to life. And what a life! Starting as an aspiring reporter in Spain during, the Spanish civil war, Marty proves herself again and again, as a reporter and a writer. But in spite of herself she falls in love with Ernest Hemingway, and eventually marries him. She goes on to write several books and report on World War II, but her relationship with Hemingway is challenging, as his success overshadows hers, and he is sometimes credited with her success.

McLain's Marty is vibrant, intelligent, captivating, and she brings us into her life. We feel her ups and downs, her terror and bravery chasing stories, the love she feels for Hemingway and his sons; we are with Marty every step of the way. Love & Ruin is a brilliant book about an amazing woman. You don't want to miss it!

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC of this ebook via NetGalley,

After reading The Paris Wife and Circling the Sun, I had really high expectations and McLain did not disappoint with Love and Ruin. This novel, told from the point of view of Martha Gellhorn, Ernest Hemingway's third wife, chronicles their story together from the heady days of the Spanish Civil War through the devastation of World War II. Refreshingly honest, this novel is at times difficult to read as Marty details the "ruin" war wreaks on the people in the countries she is a journalist and writer in and that is mirrored by the destruction Hemingway famously inflicts on all the important women in his life. Out of all that pain and heartache, McLain uses stunning prose to craft a stunning narrative and beautiful novel that casts this illustrious couple in a light all their own. Scenes from this book will stay with me for some time to come, and I will never experience Hemingway's work in quite the same way again. This book is a must read for fans of historical fiction, Hemingway's writings and war correspondents.

What a heartbreaking doozy of a novel. What a stunning and strong portrait of a modern woman. Paula McLain weaves Martha Gellhorn's story with the action packed adventures of Finland, Spain, and D-Day to name a few. Some of the passages really resonated with me; I appreciate McLain's attention to detail towards battles I had no idea about. Knowing that this journalist was knee deep in front line action, while still concerned about her domestic life really threw her struggles into the spotlight. As Tillie asks, "Can we have it all?" Martha proved that a woman could have it all, as long as it was everything she truly wanted.


PS. Ernest Hemingway is in the novel too, but he's just a 'footnote' in my review.

Historical fiction based upon the life of Marry Gellhorn, the author. Most of the novel focused on her relationship and marriage to Ernest Hemingway, but there is also quite a bit written about her life as a war correspondent and her own novels.

Interesting read on a compelling w9nan's life.

I love Paula McLain's books. I have read The Paris Wife several times; it is one of my top ten favorite books, I liked Circling the Sun, about Beryl Markham, much better than Markham's own book, West With the Night.
McClain's newest book, Love and Ruin, is equally as good. It tells the story of the romance and marriage of Ernest Hemingway and his third wife, Marty Gellhorn. I loved the first person narrative told from Marty's point of view. It made her story more intimate.There were a few chapters that switched to Hemingway's first person point of view, but I didn't like them as well. I felt that this was Marty's story of her life and their life, so his thoughts were a bit intrusive.
McClain's descriptions, whether of war or nature, are always very vivid. Some sentences, I thought, echoed Hemingway's style.
I learned a lot about a remarkable woman I had not heard of before.
This is a definite "yes" for your TBR pile!

I did not expect this book to unfold as it did, but that is not at all a bad thing! The story of Martha Gellhorn and her life with Hemingway is sad, but also so incredibly compelling.

This book starts from Gellhorn's beginnings as a writer and her relationship with her family. I loved Gellhorn's passion and desire to write. She meets a married Hemingway and the spark between them is more than palpable.

The continued story of their dysfunctional relationship and is at times so heartbreaking to read, yet I could not put this book down. McLain does an excellent job with this story. I was heartbroken to come to the end of the story! I wished for more pages!

I loved Marty's independence and her insight as she gathered the stories of war to share with far away readers.

I highly recommend Love and Ruin and I would like to thank Random House Publishing - Ballantine Books for this ARC.

I have been eagerly anticipating the release of Love & Ruin, having loved Paula McClain's books The Paris Wife and Circling The Sun. Her latest, about Martha Gellhorn, did not disappoint one bit. The author has such an amazing ability to bring these fantastic historical women back to life and make them incredibly relatable. Martha Gellhorn especially spoke to me; her desire to live a married but independent life and still keep her job and travel - it felt like something we modern women still deal with every day still in 2018. How do you nurture a relationship but hold on to who you are? I just loved every bit of this book, and all Gellhorn's war stories were beyond fascinating. Every time I finish a Paula McClain novel I have a list of ten new books I want to read because of topics and characters and places she has introduced me to through her engrossing books. I want her to write a novel about every interesting female historical figure! I will definitely be recommending this to all my friends, and I can't wait to see what the author writes next!

McLain brings a literary icon to the minds of women who grew up outside of her time of influence and may not have come across her name otherwise. She made me fall in love with Gellhorn, and understand the challenges she would have had to overcome to trailblaze for female authors everywhere. She faced down incredible difficulties and stood strong against losing her career in her famous husband's. This book is absolutely a must read! I can't recommend it enough!

"Love and Ruin" is a five star book as far as readability but four stars in the Paula McLain body of work. I've liked all her novels but "Circling the Sun" was my favorite. "Love and Ruin" takes on Ernest Hemingway's third marriage, and one of his most contentious, matched closely as he was to a woman of equal ambition and guts. Martha Gellhorn traveled to war zones at a time when few women did and her work was appreciated on it's own merits despite her sex. Sex had a lot to do with her relationship with Hemingway, a lot of passion and strife--the strife mostly coming from his jealousy of her writing and the praise she earned--but their relationship was real and deep. Martha loved Hemingway's kids and they loved her back.

McLain channels the guts of Gellhorn's writing into her descriptions of her war reportage. The novel ends with the finish of her marriage to Hemingway, but Gellhorn worked until the 1990s when her vision was so poor she could not read he own manuscripts.

Fans of McLain will not be disappointed in "Love and Ruin." I look forward to another novel from her about a remarkable woman outside the Hemingway realm.

Thank you to #paulamclain, #randomhouse, and #netgalley for my advanced ecopy of Love and Ruin.

Love and Ruin is categorized as historical fiction, but it is that genre of historical fiction becoming so popular lately, historical fiction based on real lives. In this case, it is the story of the relationship of Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn, who would become his third wife. I became interested in this story for two reasons:
1. I know little about Ernest Hemingway except the MOST publicized facts; suicide, writings, 4 marriages, etc.. I wanted to know more about him and what might make such strong-willed, strong-minded women bind themselves to him.
2. Sadly, all I knew about Martha Gellhorn was that she was a serious journalist and his Hemingway's third wife. I was very curious to figure out how there might be anything romantic about a story that you know starts as an affair and ends with one (or more).

Love and Ruin delivered on both accounts. Paula McLain manages to capture both the powerful pull of Hemingway's personality, and the very things about him that would push a person to the point of fleeing him just to breathe, free from his intensity. Interestingly, from MY perspective, this book ended up not really being romantic. You see two people who are like-minded in many ways (something Hemingway tended to be attracted to in all his wives), being pulled together in a time of world-crisis, WWII, and their relationship being brought to ruins just as the war was coming to its conclusion, a very interesting metaphor for their relationship.

I could see how ahead-of-her-time Gellhorn was in her obvious struggle to juggle her desire for career with her desire to be a wife and possible mother. I could see that Paula McLain obviously had much admiration for Gellhorn, and for good reason. The woman was brave, strong, and willing to put her very life on the line to put a message out there that the world needed to hear.

Wen we read a book, it is nearly impossible to remove all our own personal beliefs and values as we do so. In my case, I believe that is why I did not find any romance to Love and Ruin. Hemingway was married to his second wife with two young children when Gellhorn made the decision to pursue the relationship with Hemingway. While, not uncommon, I don't find it admirable, nor in most cases wise. As intelligent as Gellhorn obviously was, she had evidence that Hemingway could not be satisfied by any one woman, as there was clearly a hole inside himself he didn't know how to fill. On top of that serious lapse in judgement, she almost immediately resented being associated in any way with him as a writer. What did she think would happen if she married the most successful writer of his time? I did empathize with her struggle and anguish as their relationship crumbled. Regardless of how I feel about how their relationship started, I felt sorrow for her knowing the rejection she must have felt to come to the understanding that he loved an idea of her, not the reality.

Paula McLain did a wonderful job describing battle-torn areas and the horrors of war that Gellhorn witnessed throughout the book as well as the gorgeous Carribbean locations visited. She also did a great job conveying the inner battle Gellhorn must have faced when trying to decide how much of her own desires to give up in order to be the wife Hemingway seemingly needed.

I find that for a historical fiction book based on non-fiction characters to be successful, it must make me want to come away from the book learning more and more about the subjects. Love and Ruin achieved that in spades.

McLain’s newest novel features the story of Martha Gellhorn, a lifelong war correspondent and the third wife of Ernest Hemingway. It opens with Martha’s life before meeting Hemingway when she worked as an aspiring novelist and sometimes journalist. After her father’s death, Martha, her mother, and her brother visited Key West as to not celebrate their first Christmas without the family patriarch at home in St. Louis. The family stumbles upon Hemingway nearly upon arrival. Martha, who’s novel just debuted to great success, is amazed to come across a writer who she admired and learn that he was impressed with her work.

In the months that follow, Hemingway encourages Martha in her writing. When the chance to go to Spain as a correspondent comes up, not only does Hemingway go, he also arranged for Martha to go. While there, the two become close. The relationship does not end when they return home and Hemingway eventually leaves his second wife for Martha. While those early years while waiting for his divorce were often idyllic as the pair created their Cuban home, after the marriage occurred times turned tumultuous. Where the Martha and Hemingway too similar? Did those similarities impact their marriage? Those are just two of the questions to novel addresses.

In addition to Martha’s relationship with Hemingway, detail is paid to her other family relationships. Martha often goes to her mother for advice. She also becomes a second mother to Hemingway’s three boys: Jack (nicknamed Bum) from his first marriage and Patrick and Gregory from his second. She loves them and they adored her. As World War II began, Martha worried about the draft-aged Bum and used her status as a war correspondent to visit him while he was on duty multiple times. Martha’s friendships with several other fellow correspondents were also addressed during her time in Spain, Norway, Britain, and Italy.

I truly enjoyed reading about Martha’s life, even when things got rocky. She had such a determined nature to be her own person that it was hard not to. And that’s what made Martha a trailblazer for women. In terms of McLain’s writing, as with her previous books, it was written in the first person and featured vivid descriptions. The plot continued to thicken as layers were added to the story. Often, these layers made readers feel the same pain or elation Martha did. As in her last two novels, McLain succeeds in bringing these often forgotten women to light, as she did with Hadley Richardson in The Paris Wife and Beryl Markham in Circling the Sun. I will mention that both Martha and Hadley were wives of Hemingway (third and first, respectively), so in a way their biographical novels could be considered companion novels. One does not have to read one to understand another, but Hadley is mentioned frequently in Love and Ruin and her son Bum is a supporting character in this novel.

I was provided this book for review from NetGalley. I'll be posing a review of the novel on my blog in April and will add the links then..

After McClain’s The Paris Wife and Naomi Wood’s Mrs. Hemingway I thought very little of Martha Gellhorn. After reading Love and Ruin however I have more respect for her and for the life she carved out for herself. This is a beautifully written book that covers Gellhorn’s years with Hemingway, with all the love she had for him and the ruin she faced when she left him. Bravo to a smart, brave woman who triumphed when she could have let herself be ruined.